Ladders are conventionally utilized to provide a user thereof with improved access to elevated locations that might otherwise be inaccessible. Ladders come in many shapes and sizes, such as straight ladders, straight extension ladders, stepladders, and combination step and extension ladders. So-called combination ladders may incorporate, in a single ladder, many of the benefits of multiple ladder designs.
Ladders such as stepladders and step stools are highly utilized by various tradesman as well as homeowners. Such ladders are “self-supporting” in that they do not require the upper end of the ladder to be positioned against a supporting structure, such as against a wall or the edge of a roof. Rather, stepladders (including step stools) include multiple feet (typically either three or four) that are spaced from one another to provide a stable base or foundational structure to support the ladder and a user when placed on, for example, a floor or the ground. This enables a user of the ladder to gain access to elevated areas even though the accessed area may be, for example, in the middle of a room, away from walls or other potential supporting structures that are conventionally required when using a straight ladder or an extension ladder.
For these reasons and others, ladders configured as stepladders or step stools are popular configurations that comprise a large segment of the ladder market. However, there are always areas of potential improvement. For example, the rungs on conventional configurations of stepladders typically exhibit relatively short depth, meaning that there is a relatively small amount of surface area for a user to place their foot on while standing on the rungs of a step ladder. Some ladders have attempted to increase the depth of the rungs in an effort to provide a more comfortable or stable support surface for a user of the ladder. However, often the increase in depth of a rung translates to more bulk in the stored ladder. For example, where the rungs are static and rigidly fixed to the side rails, the rail assembly becomes larger in its overall depth. It follows that that the stored ladder (i.e., when folded or collapsed for storage) exhibits a greater depth as well.
Some ladders, primarily step stools, have utilized rungs that fold or pivot when the ladder is collapsed for storage. However, these ladders typically include struts or braces coupled to the rungs and to another structure on the ladder such as a platform, a rail, or another rung. The struts or braces typically provide a couple of functions with respect to the rungs. First, the struts or braces are coupled to a cantilevered end of the rung to provide structural support to the rung so that it can bear an anticipated load. Second, the struts or braces act as linkages to help “lift” the rung into a folded position when the ladder is being collapsed for storage. Examples of such configurations are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,906 to Bouwmeester et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,507 to Kain.
It is a continued desire of the ladder industry to improve the performance of ladders, including stepladders and step stools. For example, it is a continued desire within the ladder industry to provide products that provide a safer working experience for the user, provide added comfort to the user, and enhance the user's experience in a variety of ways.